The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 08, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 20, 2003
James Baumgardner, Milmont Park, PA (US);
Gordon Neufeld, Flourtown, PA (US);
James Baumgardner, Milmont Park, PA (US);
Gordon Neufeld, Flourtown, PA (US);
Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the analysis of blood or other liquids by mass spectrometry to determine the partial pressures of gases and other volatile substances dissolved in the blood or other liquid in a manner independent of the solubility of the gases in the blood or other liquid. A countercurrent membrane exchanger (CCME) is provided for equilibrating a carrier fluid with the sample of blood or other liquid, the output of which is coupled to a tubular direct insertion membrane probe (t-DIMP) type of membrane inlet mass spectrometer. The CCME preferably has complementary spiral grooves on opposing metal plates for the water carrier and sample liquids so as to induce secondary flows which greatly reduce the resistance to equilibration between the liquid sample and water carrier phases. The t-DIMP is characterized by the use of Teflon™ sleeves specifically to reduce noise introduced at the connection between the silicone membrane in the t-DIMP and the steel tubing for the water carrier, by the use of radiation shields to prevent heating of the silicone membrane and water carrier to allow lower carrier flow rates, and by the heating of the section between the ion source and the vacuum pumps specifically to improve linearity of the t-DIMP.